A soft gasp escaped her. "You mean he won't be captain anymore?"

"I'm afraid not. It's not only because of what happened yesterday. It's a lot of things. William Applegate, John Potts, Stanley Helmick, Elija Richards-all of them. They haven't been happy with Abner's leadership for a long time, as I'm sure you're aware."

Lucy felt the beginnings of a knot in her stomach. "Will they just talk to him, do you suppose? Give him a warning?"

"It's over. They'll demand he resign."

"I see." Funny, despite all her negative feelings about Abner, she could find no joy in his downfall. Instead, she felt sick inside.

"I'm so sorry." Cordelia's eyes brimmed with sympathy. "He's such a proud man. This will be just devastating."

"Oh, yes." Lucy didn't even want to think about the blow to Abner's pride. Poor Martha would also be devastated-just what she didn't need right now. "Who will replace him?"

"William Applegate."

"I see." Lucy tried to hide the rush of apprehension that engulfed her. For her brother-in-law to be deposed was bad enough, but to be replaced by a man he despised and considered his enemy was even worse. She couldn't imagine how Abner would react, but she suspected that those closest to him would suffer the consequences.

When Lucy returned, she found Abner sitting on the wagon seat. His full, black beard concealed much of his expression, but she could tell from the way his dark eyes blazed he was in a rage. "I have been deposed." His voice shook with indignation. "How could they? Who could have been a better leader than I? Now they want William Applegate?" He spit the name out as if he'd tasted something rotten. His eyes widened with fury. "I tell you; it's not to be endured."

She'd been prepared to offer comfort, but his unyielding att.i.tude dampened her sympathy. Could he ever admit he was wrong? Worse, could he keep his anger under control? Lately he'd been constantly losing his temper. "Obviously, they think they have legitimate complaints, or they wouldn't have-"

"The fools!" Too angry to sit still, Abner sprang down from the wagon and stood before her fuming. "They'll rue the day they got rid of me and put that idiot William Applegate in charge."

There was no sense in arguing. Abner would never see anyone's side but his own. "You must calm down," she said softly. "I know you're angry, but what can you do?"

"G.o.d never meant for this to happen."

She refrained from mentioning that G.o.d didn't appear to be on his side this time. "Don't you think G.o.d would expect you to accept the inevitable and try to make the best of it?"

He roared, "G.o.d will smite my enemies!"

What was the use? There was no reasoning with this man. "No matter how you feel, you must realize you have no choice."

Stubbornly shaking his head, Abner looked beyond her to where the woods began at the edge of the clearing. He jerked his head in a decisive nod toward a tree-covered hill, then started away.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He turned and addressed her. "Matthew twenty-six, Verse thirty-nine: 'Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.'"

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm going to talk to G.o.d."

Several hours dragged by. Lucy waited and wondered. It seemed the whole camp was avoiding her and Martha's wagons. Finally Cordelia and Hannah came by. "How did he take it?" asked Cordelia.

"It could have been worse." She inclined her head toward the tree-covered hill. "He's up there. Said he was going to talk to G.o.d."

"Just like Moses on the mountaintop," said Hannah. "Well, I sure hope G.o.d tells him to get himself back down here. Inez says the Janicki girl is better. We can leave in the morning."

Practical Hannah's remark made Lucy smile for the first time that day. Once again she gave thanks for her understanding friends.

Concerned and uneasy, Lucy and Martha waited all day for Abner to reappear. They were cooking the evening meal when he finally returned, his face no longer white with anger. Instead, the firm set of his mouth told them he had reached a decision.

Lucy greeted him. "Well, I see you've calmed down. I'm glad you're back. We start again tomorrow."

"Not us."

Martha's mouth dropped open. "What on earth do you mean?"

"I'm through with this wagon train."

Lucy spoke up. "That's nonsense. What does it matter if you feel you were wronged? We'll get to California all the same, go on with our lives. No harm done."

"No harm done." Martha clasped her hands in a supplicating gesture. "Please, we must stay with the wagon train."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Abner drew himself to his full height and looked down at the two women with contempt in his eyes. "Don't you ever listen?"

Lucy replied, "Well, of course, we listen, but-"

"We're not leaving with the wagon train tomorrow."

"Then what-?"

"I spoke to G.o.d. He told me to take the Thompson Shortcut."

After a stunned moment, Lucy asked, "But isn't that the shortcut Charlie Dawes said was no good?"

"I don't take my orders from the likes of Charlie Dawes. We're striking out on our own. At the crack of dawn tomorrow, we shall leave this cursed wagon train behind."

Chapter 15.

At first, Lucy stood frozen, mind and body numb, unable to comprehend Abner's words. When they finally sank in, she thought she'd misunderstood.

"What do you mean?" she asked when she finally found her voice. "For a moment I thought you said you want to leave the wagon train, but that can't be true."

"We're leaving." Abner's mouth twisted unpleasantly. "I've tolerated these fools long enough. I should've left sooner. The Thompson shortcut will take days, perhaps weeks, off our time."

"But Charlie said-"

"My decision is final."

"Don't you realize ...?" In desperation, Lucy, a.s.sisted by Martha, tried every trick of persuasion she could think of. They wouldn't have a guide, so what if they lost their way? Noah wasn't feeling well. What if he got really sick and Inez wasn't there to help? What if Martha's baby decided to come early? How could she do without Inez and her other women friends? The thought was not only frightening, it was unthinkable.

Abner listened to their pleas with undisguised impatience. "We'll take the shortcut. I've no doubt we'll get to California long before the baby arrives." Lucy opened her mouth to speak again, but he cut her off. "I haven't time for more of your babble. We shall take two wagons. I'll drive one and Henry the other." He seemed to be talking more to himself than her. "Stanley Helmick says he'll buy my remaining wagon and the cattle. They were more trouble than they were worth, anyway. I plan to ask if any of the others care to come with me. I'd wager I'm not the only one who wants nothing to do with William Applegate and his ilk."

Until that moment, Lucy had a.s.sumed that somehow, someway, she could dissuade her brother-in-law from his insane decision. Now, as she watched Abner walk away, the realization hit her full force: he meant what he said. What could she do? The very thought of striking out on their own was shattering. How could she bear it? How could Martha?

Clint. If anyone could help, he could. Abner was afraid of him, although she still wasn't sure why.

Forcing herself to walk, not run, she headed toward Clint and Charlie's campsite. She found only Charlie. When asked about Clint, Charlie replied, "He's gone off to scout the trail."

"When will he be back?"

"Not for a couple of days."

"Dear Lord." Clint had been her last hope.

"Set yourself down. You ain't lookin' too perky."

"I'm not." She sat across from the old guide and told him about Abner's decision to take the shortcut.

"Son of a b.i.t.c.h! Excuse me, ma'am, but that's the dad blamed dumbest idea I ever heard of."

"I know, but he's going to do it."

Charlie rose to his feet. "I'll go talk to him."

"Sit down. It won't do any good. Abner's a stubborn man. Once he makes up his mind, he'll never change it."

Charlie's bushy white eyebrows drew together in a frown. "That's the trouble with these long, hard treks across the country. They can bring out the best in a man or they can bring out the worst in a man. You know which applies to Abner."

"You're right. He was always a zealot, but back in Ma.s.sachusetts he could at least be reasonable."

"Why don't you and your sister-in-law stay with the wagon train?"

"What?" She couldn't comprehend Charlie's question.

"Tell that cussed fool brother-in-law of yours you ain't going to go traipsing off on that shortcut."

" I can't." Such a thought had never entered her head.

"Yes, you can. Did it ever occur to you that you should do what's best for you? There ain't no person on this earth should have to be beholden to someone else, and that includes you, even if you are a woman. I surely couldn't live that way. Been on my own since I was knee-high to a mosquito and never took orders from n.o.body. Why should you be any different?" The old guide's eyes filled with sympathy. "You and Martha need your lady friends right now. She needs that midwife, just in case. It wouldn't hurt the captain to leave one of his wagons behind for his wife. As for you, why don't you go talk to Mrs. Benton? She's got room in the wagon now that Mister Benton's gone. You tell Abner to go ahead and take his shortcut, you'll meet up with him in California."

"He'd kill me."

"Abner?" The old trapper guffawed. "Not with Clint around. Besides, maybe he'd just as soon leave the both of you behind, what with Martha's condition and all. Noah, too."

As Charlie's words sunk in, she began to think, why couldn't the three of them stay? What a fine idea. If Abner was so h.e.l.l-bent on taking that treacherous shortcut, he could go by himself, and they could meet up with him later. Surely, he could see his wife would be much better off remaining with the wagon train. So would Noah. And if, later on, it took a while to find each other, no harm done. She thought of the money safely stored at the bottom of the flour barrel. With it, she, Martha, and Noah could surely get by. Indefinitely.

She smiled at the thought.

Relief flowed through her. She stood and straightened her shoulders. "Thanks, Mister Dawes. What a wonderful idea."

Cordelia broke into a grin when she heard Lucy's request. "Of course! I would love to have you."

Lucy's spirits lifted. "I'll earn my keep. I'll do the cooking. I'll-"

"I don't care if you just sit and don't do a blessed thing! You just don't know how lonely I've been with Nathaniel gone, but with you staying with me?" Cordelia's eyes sparkled. "Oh, Lucy, this awful journey could almost be fun."

"I can only hope Abner will agree."

"How could he make Martha go on some horrible shortcut at a time like this? How utterly thoughtless and downright cruel. I don't care what he says. You stand your ground. He can't force you to go, now can he?"

"No, he can't." She'd been feeling weak and helpless, but now, thanks to Charlie and Cordelia, her sense of strength grew by the moment. "I'll go talk to Abner right now."

"Absolutely not." The stony contempt in Abner's eyes made Lucy cringe. "How dare you even suggest such a thing? Martha and Noah stay with me. I prefer that you come along. I need you to watch after them, but you're free to do as you please."

"Please reconsider," Lucy replied with quiet, desperate firmness. "You know your wife's condition. She should stay with the wagon train where she can get help if she needs it, not go off on some idiotic shortcut. Noah will be much better off with me. You know I'll take good care of him. We'll meet up in California or even sooner, any place you say."

Abner's stern expression held no vestige of sympathy. "Go or stay as you see fit, but Noah is my son now, and he remains with me."

She kept trying to reason with him, but his loud, dictatorial voice overrode all her arguments. Despite her resolve, her determination began to crumble. She dreaded to think what might happen to her stepson if she wasn't around to keep him safe. In her present condition, Martha could hardly take care of herself, let alone Noah. Abner never paid any attention to the child. Noah could easily get lost, or fall under a wagon wheel, or heaven knew what. He certainly wouldn't eat right. That wasn't all. She had yet to see Abner physically abuse the boy in any way; yet she couldn't forget those bruises that had appeared from time to time on Martha's face. Clint had kept them safe, but with a sinking heart, she realized that on this G.o.d-awful shortcut he wouldn't be around.

"We leave at dawn," Abner announced. "Either come or don't come, but you'd better remember Noah's my son, and he's coming with me." With a final look of scorn, he turned and stalked away.

Sick at heart, Lucy considered her choices. If she stayed with the wagon train, she 'd worry herself sick over both Noah and Martha. If she went on the shortcut, she'd face G.o.d-knows-what dangers, plus she'd be entirely under Abner's domination. Two choices, both impossible.

Yet, she must chose, and before dawn tomorrow.

By late afternoon, she still hadn't made up her mind. Then Noah came to her, complaining that his stomach hurt and his head ached. She placed her hand on his forehead and found it burning hot. After she put Noah to bed in the wagon, she sent for Inez.

After examining Noah, the midwife shook her head. "Looks like mountain fever. Some call it typhoid. There's lots of it going around. Nothing I can do, I'm afraid. I wish there were a doctor around, but of course there's not."

"Will he be all right?" Lucy held her breath, waiting for her answer.

Inez looked her square in the eye. "Mountain fever is a deadly disease. From what I've heard, it's swept through many of the wagon trains and taken lives. They say about one in eight who are stricken die."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Nothing besides keep him warm and give him lots of water. He shouldn't be moved. I'll go ask William Applegate to hold up the wagon train, at least another day."

Lucy told Inez about Abner and the shortcut.

"Then I'll go speak to Abner. When he hears about Noah, surely he'll change his plans."

Only minutes later, Inez returned, tense lines creasing her forehead. "I tried to dissuade him, but he says he's leaving tomorrow regardless and taking Noah, mountain fever or no." Her face clouded with concern. "Abner said you weren't going. Is that true? I only ask because Noah will need a lot of care. You know Martha can't help much in her condition."

That settled it. Lucy put aside the despair in her heart and made the only decision she could. "No, it's not true. Tomorrow I'll be leaving on that shortcut with Abner."

Inez's face flooded with relief. "Bless you. I'll remember you in my prayers each day."

"Don't forget." Lucy had a wry smile. "I'm going to need them."